“Should Buhari win, we as citizens must be prepared for two
things. The first should be to stretch the great endurance for which we are
known. The power centres within the Buhari presidency would assert themselves
more ferociously, with Osinbanjo becoming more of a lame-duck VP***The second
option would be to prepare to be citizens by non-violent advocacies. We will
have to learn in a hard way to put aside what makes us idiots(selfish) and
tribesmen instead of citizens”

Belonging to a political party these days has gradually
transformed into something akin to a religious conviction especially in the
heat of the elections. If you have ever tried to argue with a Jehovah Witness,
you would understand what I mean. There is no dialogue, there is only a take it
or leave it, as no other perspective is condoned. I find this among supporters
of the two major candidates especially Buharists. Believing in in the
candidates has become a religious dogma. Even those of us who attend a church
that teaches about the infallibility of the Pope are not so compelling as
supporters are adamant of the infallibility of their man. Some supporters have
such extra-sensory perceptions which enable them show that ordinary actions and
events obvious to every objective person is an illusion. And so even when
Buhari came under public view during the Candidates’ Interviews and displayed
embarrassing forgetfulness and poor comprehension that are ordinary to his age
and exacerbated by his prolonged illness, Buharists would tell us that there is
nothing absolutely wrong with the man; even when he has nearly slumped
severally at campaign venues and made very serious blunders, it is explained
away to make the objective observer question his own rationality. As for Atiku
even when those from his home state would not want to touch him with a ten foot
pole because of a tendency to privatize and personalize all he sees, his
supporters would make us believe it is all business acumen.

It was when I watched the Candidates’ interviews that I
clearly understood what had been going on in government. I suddenly realized
how honest Buhari was. For instance when he claimed he didn’t know the IGP
didn’t stay back in Benue I first thought he was providing excuses only to
realize that he truly didn’t know because those in the top echelons of
government knew that at his age and with his health condition, his attention is
deficit and so everyone became a powerful block, knowing that there would be no
consequences for any of their actions. I have also come to understand why there
was so much chaos during the APC primaries and why there has been so much
anti-party. In my state for instance, a sitting minister contested the
governorship position with the party flag bearer to the very last minute,
possibly spoiling the good chances of his party winning the gubernatorial
elections. Similarly the reason for the competition rather than collaboration
among the security agencies became quite clear. It seemed that the only thing
President Buhari has been fixated on was to win a second term, which his
acolytes have gladly gone to any extent to achieve, knowing ultimately that
they would remain centers of power.

Nigeria is a wonderful country. In any other society, Buhari
would not stand for election anymore because of the state of his health. But in
Nigeria everything is about winning elections. And who else has both the
potential and actuality to win in APC than Buhari! In the North there are
hordes of people who would even vote for Buhari’s corpse. A point that should
not be overlooked is that because of the winners-take-it all nature of our
politics, the ruling party would do all in its power to not be cast into
oblivion after only four years. It will not happen. A PDP win will finish APC
off as a national party. It will not be surprising therefore if APC use all the
instruments of state in their possession to enhance victory. I spoke with a
young lady yesterday who told me she and her friends already felt there was no
need to go out to vote as the elections would already have been won and lost.
Such an attitude would enhance whatever strategies put in place to ensure an
outright win by the ruling party.

I also know that the South West is hoping to have the
presidency in four years’ time and so there would be many sympathizers for a
Buhari second term apart from the shenanigans of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Tinubu’s
desperation to be president is a compelling reason to support an ailing Buhari.
A friend from the South West here in London observed that already the Yorubas
are feeling that they already have the vice presidency and would not trade it
for a Secretary of the Government of the Federation position with Atiku.

The South West sees an advantage in an ailing Buhari in two
ways. First is the duration of four years. Unlike Atiku who may desire another
four years if he wins, Buhari cannot have a third term and so there is more
certainty that power will shift to the South and the West will take it again.
Tinubu has already positioned himself to take the coveted seat. He would only
need to ask Osinbanjo to step aside, as he Asiwaju is his political godfather.
It is left to be seen whether ordinary Nigerians would allow a Muslim president
hand over to another Muslim president. Secondly the South West might vote for
Buhari hoping for a repeat of the Y’Ardua option. Musa Y’Ardua died in office.
It is not out of place to say that many Redeemed Christians who are supporting
Buhari’s reelection are doing so in the hope of an Osinbanjo presidency either
through an act of God or through a future ballot act. Indeed in spite of the
momentum towards Atiku, if Buhari still wins the forth coming elections, it
might just be that God by whichever way, wants Osinbanjo to be president.

Should Buhari win, we as citizens must be prepared for two
things. The first should be to stretch the great endurance for which we are
known. The power centres within the Buhari presidency would assert themselves
more ferociously, with Osinbanjo becoming more of a lame-duck VP. There would
be greater attempts to shrink the democratic space as more people will be
framed up and rounded up not because they offended the state but because they
offended powerful individuals. A fully capacitated Buhari would not allow such
abuses because of his image as a born again democrat but faceless individuals
within the government would exploit his limitations and expect recognitions and
respect beyond even that which Mr Buhari would allow himself. Heavens will not
fall. We would endure these the way we have been enduring other things until
the four years are over or until an act of God sets us free from faceless
powerful individuals. The second option would be to prepare to be citizens by
non-violent advocacies. We will have to learn in a hard way to put aside what
makes us idiots(selfish) and tribesmen instead of citizens. Using the 20/80
Pareto principle, 20% of well meaning educated Nigerians will have to be the
driving force of this citizen-forging, where a key point would be to empower
the vice president to be the de facto deputy instead of people we did not vote
for. A Buhari presidency would have served Nigeria better if faceless people
did not hijack it and prevented Osinbanjo who is legitimately entitled to step
in to fill the gaps created by his principal. Nigeria would have fared better
if truly Osinbanjo was the vice president. It must be a fight we should be
ready for if Buhari wins, as part of the evolution of citizenship.

A much greater fear of Nigerians in the South is the
temerity of killer herdsmen with a Buhari win. We will have to bring together
the best possible solutions advanced and work with our almost useless
legislators to insist on their implementation, although at that point it will
be from a position of weakness as he would no longer be requiring our votes.

***Evaristus Bassey, a Nigerian Catholic Priest, is on
sabbatical in the United Kingdom

Nice and interesting piece Padre… I have a more radical way of changing Nigeria’s sorry situation or condition. I think democracy is not helping us (including many other developing countries). If we take a critical look of developed countries, it will surprise us to know that it’s only USA and a few others that are practicing pure democracy and have flourished under this system. I don’t know how they do it. Russia, Japan, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya under Gaddafi, etc. All these countries can not be regarded as democratic but are well developed and ahead of Nigeria in every sector. My position is that, we need a strong idealistic leader who will stamp his ideas and vision of development and innovations within a prolonged period of time. A leader who will be ruthless in tackling corruption. Imagine Cross River State still under A Donald Duke with his innovative ideas and projects, the cleanliness of our dear state capital, Surely Tinapa would have flourished because it was his idea. We need “a man like Putin”. There might be some human right violations when power is in one man’s hand but the general development of infrastructures, technology and human capacity will surely worth it. Afterall, we still experience such human rights abuses daily even in our present system. I don’t think any citizen of the above mention countries will renounce his country for Nigeria, but thousands of Nigerians including myself will gladly renounce Nigeria for these countries. I don’t know how we can get this “strong and fearless leader” but I think at this point, that is what we need because we are not ready for democracy, just as we were not ready for capitalism when is was sold to us by the colonialist. It sounds radical and anti western but this might be the solution to our sorry state of affairs. Generally, I think we should seat down and brainstorm on a political system, educational system, economic system etc. That will suit us as we seem to swallow anything that is sold to us by the west not minding our more complex society.
Iteta